The Sun newspapers get new management board

Also announced as executive directors are Mrs Ethel Nmezi, who now oversees the Finance/Administration department, while the Managing Editor, North, Mr. Eric Osagie, becomes the Executive Director, Special Services. While commending the past director and his deputy, the chairman of the board and publisher of The Sun titles, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, stated that “We […]

Also announced as executive directors are Mrs Ethel Nmezi, who now oversees the Finance/Administration department, while the Managing Editor, North, Mr. Eric Osagie, becomes the Executive Director, Special Services.

While commending the past director and his deputy, the chairman of the board and publisher of The Sun titles, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, stated that “We have been very privileged to have them leading the company these past eight years. Now, it is time for them to proceed on a sabbatical.”

Kalu also described Awoyinfa and Igwe who midwived the newspaper in January 2003 as “consummate professionals who can be compared with the very best in any part of the world, saying “We salute their astuteness, professional savvy, and commitment to duty.”

Responding, Awoyinfa, who still serves as director on the board of the company along with his former deputy, equally declared: “Every company needs fresh energy, fresh impetus at any given time. We have steered the ship of The Sun these past eight years, through calm waters, through the storm, and God has seen us through. Now, it is time for new kids on the block, people with fresh verve and energy to move the newspapers forward.”

Onyima, the new Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, is a graduate of  Mass Communication, Public Administration, as well as a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Marketing. He equally had executive education in Logistics and Supply Chain Management for CEOs and Executive Directors, organized from the Lagos Business School. He joined The Sun as Executive Director, Operations, in 2002, at the company’s inception. Before then, he had variously served as Reporter, Staff Writer and Senior Correspondent at The Guardian, rising to the position of Editor, Lagos Life, in 1990. Subsequently, he served as Deputy Editor, Thisday, Editor, Thisday on Saturday, and was the pioneer editor of National Interest in 2000. He became Executive Editor of the paper in 2002, before joining The Sun later the same year.

 On his part, Femi Adesina, DMD/Deputy Editor-in-Chief was pioneer editor of Daily Sun, which he edited for five years and took to the pinnacle as the nation’s largest selling newspaper. During his tenure, the publication equally won Newspaper of the Year laurels from both Nigeria Media Merit Award (NMMA) and Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME). In 2006, Adesina was named Editor of the Year by the NMMA.

On July 1, 2008, he moved up as Executive Director, Publications. He takes to his new position 24 years of active journalism, after obtaining a degree in English Studies from the then University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University). The career, covering both electronic and print media saw him passing through LTV 8, Radio Lagos, Vanguard Newspaper, and Concord Press, where he rose to be editor of National Concord.

Adesina joined The Sun at inception in 2002, and began editing the daily title in 2003.